1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to affinity termination of telephone calls, and more specifically to terminating telephone calls by relaying a message to a pager.
2. Related Art
A modem telephone switch may be integrated with voice mail boxes corresponding to telephone numbers associated with the telephone switch. When a called party is unavailable to answer their telephone, the telephone switch facilitates a calling party to record a message in the voice mail box of the called party. Subsequently, the called party can retrieve the message from their voice mail box at their convenience. However, the use of voice mail boxes does not ensure that the called party will promptly receive the message recorded by the calling party.
To promptly notify a called party of incoming telephone calls, a disperate system, such as a paging system, and a correspondingly distinct telephone number, must be used. A calling party dials the called party's paging telephone number and enters a message. The message may be, for example, the calling party's telephone number. The paging system then quickly relays the message to the pager of the called party. Typically, a called party carries their pager on their person so that they are promptly notified of the telephone calls made to their pager.
Thus, modem telephone systems suffer a disadvantage of requiring multiple telephone calls and other actions if a calling party desires to promptly contact a called party. If the calling party's initial telephone call goes unanswered, the calling party must leave a voice mail message. Then the calling party must call a second telephone number for a pager and enter a message to be relayed to the called party.